Wilderness Medicine Instructors Needed
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in the Wilderness Medicine Institute. Attached you will find a copy of the
Instructor job description with a list of requested application information for the Wilderness First
Responder Instructor Training Course (WFR ITC). To help you organize your resume, it is helpful to us
if you emphasize and highlight the following five areas of information:
1. Your level of medical, CPR and wilderness medical training.
2. Your patient care experience. Please elaborate so that we may fully understand the scope of your
experiences, e.g., number of patients, distance of evacuations, etc.
3. Your wilderness experience, both personal and professional.
4. Your teaching experience, both experiential and classroom.
5. Your availability to teach for WMI. Please be specific regarding blocks of time and times of the
year.
Applications are requested annually by May 11. We review applications in late May and conduct phone
interviews of eligible candidates during June. Eligible candidates are invited to the ITC held each
November in Lander, WY. Invitations to the ITC are extended during May. Depending on available
space, a second round of applications may be reviewed in August. The second application deadline is
August 1, with interviews to take place shortly thereafter. Invitations to the ITC will be extended during
September.
We look forward to welcoming some excellent new staff onto our team of wilderness medicine
educators.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Gates Richards
ITC Program Coordinator
gates_richards@nols.edu
307-335-2359 or toll free 866-831-9001
WMI of NOLS Instructor Training Course Application, page 1
Employment Opportunity
The Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School (WMI of NOLS) is
seeking qualified wilderness medicine educators. For over a decade the Wilderness Medicine Institute
has been the leader in wilderness medicine education. In 1999 we joined forces with the National
Outdoor Leadership School, the leader in wilderness education to continue and enhance our
longstanding tradition of excellence in the field of wilderness medical training.
Position Description
Instructor teams teach courses ranging in length from two to thirty days on a year-round basis although
the primary need is for instructors to teach 10-day Wilderness First Responder courses. Weekend
courses and month-long EMT courses may also be required.
Teaching seasons may be arranged to fit other seasonal employment schedules. However, highest
consideration will be given to applicants who are available during the busiest teaching months, which
stretch from mid-November through late June. Instructors will be expected to teach throughout the
western United States. Teaching days vary from 8 - 12 hours and may include evenings.
Responsibilities and Travel Opportunities
The life of a WMI instructor includes traveling long distances to course locations and dealing with a
variety of living situations. In addition to providing outstanding and thorough lectures on medical
topics, supervising students' hands-on learning, and attending to the individual learning styles of all
students, WMI instructors are expected to model a love for the wilderness. Responsibilities will also
include collecting course fees, handling retail transactions, and keeping accurate paperwork.
In addition to meeting the basic qualifications, WMI instructors are expected to have excellent
interpersonal skills, to be apt at creating analogies and metaphors, and to be great storytellers. Deep and
abiding respect for colleagues, for the Institute's philosophy, and for students is requisite. A sense of
humor, including the ability to laugh at oneself, is paramount.
Top Level Compensation for Top Level Educators
Compensation provided to instructors is among the highest in the outdoor education field. WMI asks
that you invest 100% of your time when you are under contract. In return you will be privileged to join
a community of learners who specialize in providing life-giving care to those traveling in the wilderness.
This family includes some of the most highly regarded writers, educators, and medical providers
working in this field today, including Buck Tilton, M.S. author of over a dozen books on wilderness
medicine including Medicine for the Backcountry and The Wilderness First Responder.
WMI of NOLS Instructor Training Course Application, page 2
Qualifications
Education
• College degree preferred.
• Wilderness EMT-B required.
• A WFR Recert or higher course within the past two years required.
• Consideration will be given to those having other relevant medical training besides EMT (e.g. nurse,
physician, military, etc.) with a current WFR certification.
• Professional level CPR certification is required.
Teaching Experience
• Teaching experience in an outdoor education setting or classroom.
• Successful applicants will have a blend of both.
• Knowledge of experiential methods is essential.
• Knowledge of adult education principles is helpful.
• Experience teaching emergency medicine is a plus.
Outdoor Background
• Several seasons experience leading extended trips in wilderness settings.
• Having had responsibility for youth or adults in backcountry settings is essential.
Medical Background
• Significant patient contact experience.
• This might be demonstrated through involvement with ambulance, ski patrol, military medic,
emergency room, critical care, SAR organizations or significant patient care provided in backcountry
environments.
Other
• Applicants must have reliable personal transportation and a good driving record.
• Part of the responsibility is transporting gear between courses, so a vehicle with some cargo space is
preferred.
Benefits
Competitive salary: $75 to $166 per day plus travel and living expenses during courses. Partial
reimbursement for health insurance is available to staff working a sufficient number of days. A limited
number of full-time, benefited teaching positions are available.
WMI of NOLS Instructor Training Course Application, page 3
Instructor Training Course Application Process
Submit an application package to:
Gates Richards, ITC Program Coordinator
Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS
284 Lincoln St., Lander WY 82520
Phone (307) 335-2359/Toll Free (866) 831-9001 • Fax (307) 335-2355
Email: gates_richards@nols.edu
Web Site: http://wmi.nols.edu
Emailed applications are preferred.
The application package must include:
• A cover letter describing yourself, why you strive to teach wilderness medicine for WMI of NOLS
and your teaching availability.
• A current resume highlighting your medical, teaching and wilderness trip leading experience.
• Three reference names who can comment on your teaching abilities.
Following an application review, qualified applicants receive a phone interview. Offers to attend the
Instructor Training Course (ITC) held each November are made to the most suitable applicants.
Employment contracts are extended to ITC participants who demonstrate competence. Ongoing
evaluations occur after each course contract.
Application Deadline: May 11, Annually
WMI of NOLS Instructor Training Course Application, page 4